62 

 REPLY TO CIRCULAR LETTER OF ENQUIRY. 



In order to more fully cover the scope of this enquiry, a circular letter was 

 sent out to several hundred representative men in various fruitgrowing sections 

 of the Dominion, embodying a list of questions, the text of which is herewith 

 appended. 



The replies to this letter were very numerous and contained a great deal of 

 matter of intense interest, the publication of which in full would be desirable did 

 space permit. As there was, however, an almost unanimous consensus of agree- 

 ment on several of the more important questions, a general summary of the 

 replies must suffice, with the addition of a detailed reply from one of the most 

 careful, conservative fruitgrowers of the Province of Ontario and one each from 

 Nova Scotia and British Columbia, whose names are withheld for obvious reasons. 



INTERROGATORY OF FRUIT INDUSTRY. 



1. What percentage of land in your locality suitable for fruit growing, is 

 at present not being utilized for that purpose? 



2. What is its average value per acre? 



3. How many acres have you devoted to the growing of fruit and what is 

 your estimate of its value per acre? 



4. Is this valuation greater than it was ten years ago? 



5. To what cause do you attribute the increase, if any, in valuation? 



6. What is the approximate annual revenue from your fruit land? 



7. How does this compare, acre for acre, with the revenue from other 

 branches of farming? 



8. How is your fruit marketed — in baskets, barrels or boxes? 



9. Are your present facilities for marketing satisfactory? 



10. If not, what improvements would you suggest? 



11. What are the chief difficulties encountered by fruit growers in your sec- 

 tion — as to insects, diseases, climatic conditions. 



12. What varieties are you growing successfully on your farm — of apples, 

 pears, plums, peaches, grapes, cherries, small fruits? 



13. Which of these varieties do you consider valuable commercially? 



14. What system of orchard cultivation do you practice? 



15. Is there any decided movement on foot in your section towards an ex- 

 pansion in fruit growing? 



16. Is such an expansion in any way likely, in your opinion, to cause an over 

 production of fruit? 



REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. 



Ontario. 



1. 75 to 80 per cent. 



2. $100 to $300 per acre according to situation. About $100 for large 

 farms a few miles from Burlington, and back from the lake. $300 for smaller 

 farms near the village and not far from the lake, suitable for vegetables and small 

 fruits. 



3. 30 acres— 25 acres bearing, value 350 to 400 dollars per acre. 



4. About 50 per cent greater. 



5. To better care of fruit plantations, to co-operation, to a wider knowledge 

 of markets, both home and foreign, and to the development of the business fac- 

 ulty of the grower who aims to secure the highest possible price for his products, 

 while striving to reduce the cost of production to that minimum consistent with 

 quality and quantity. Further, the country is beginning to be seized with our 



